Sign up to flood service urges SEPA

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is reminding Fraserburgh residents and businesses to get flood-prepared and sign up to the improved coastal flood warning service for the Moray Firth.

Seventeen new flood warning areas were introduced by the flood warning scheme, which launched in October 2014, to help vulnerable communities at risk of flooding along the Moray Firth coastline. This includes a flood warning for Rosehearty to Fraserburgh.

Richard Brown, Head of Hydrology at SEPA, said: “Communities around the Moray Firth have been badly affected by flooding in recent years and it is important that people don’t wait for the next flood event before taking action.

“We hope that as many people as possible who live and work in, or travel through, Fraserburgh, will sign up to the improved coastal flood warning service. Signing up to Floodline means that people will receive free advance notification when flooding is predicted, providing crucial time to prepare and protect themselves, and their properties, against the damage which flooding can cause.”

In addition to the Floodline service, which provides direct warnings to people and businesses in Scotland, SEPA is working in partnership with the Met Office through the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service (SFFS).

The SFFS provides daily guidance on the potential flood risk for the next five days to all local authorities, emergency services and other emergency responders in Scotland, allowing them to plan their response to flood threats.

Through the Floodline service SEPA currently provides advance flood warnings for over 250 areas across Scotland, and people can sign up to receive free notifications of flood warning messages direct to their choice of mobile or landline numbers at www.sepa.org.uk/floodingsignup or by calling 0345 988 1188 or 0845 988 1188.